Bernd Bahlmann was able to harvest his first asparagus on Maundy Thursday, April 6, in order to be able to offer it at Easter. "However, the volumes were not yet sufficient to open our farm store. It was too long cold and wet for that, which is why the asparagus also could not grow as hoped," says the manager of the Molbergen asparagus farm of the same name. Bahlmann grows asparagus on about 27 hectares.
Elisabeth Bahlmann and Bernd Bahlmann.
(Too) much premature produce?
"In recent years, more and more has been premature, although the market is not at all capable of absorbing these quantities of asparagus so early. In any case, consumers do not show much interest when the weather is bad. As soon as the sun reappears, sales will be better. But if it should suddenly become 30 degrees, that could lead to difficulties," says Bahlmann. "It's still supposed to stay pretty cool in April, though, according to weather reports."
While he hasn't heard of declining acreage for asparagus, Bahlmann says he knows that seedling production is down. "We are also propagating fewer seedlings this year. The problem is, among other things, that it remains uncertain how much you can sell in the end - and that's with the high production costs, including for seed."
Higher sales from May
Starting in May, however, he expects higher sales again. "We are basically still quite early with the asparagus. But the qualities are already satisfactory. However, business now seems to be tending more towards weekends overall, which means that sales during the week tend to be quieter. Meanwhile, canteens, commercial kitchens, etc., are oriented toward the beginning of the week, since the product is not yet so scarce at this time." At Easter, interest in asparagus was high in the catering industry, but there was still too little product available.
A few years earlier, Bahlmann also supplied the wholesale market. "But for the prices you get there, sales are no longer profitable. We sell our asparagus to merchant stands and resellers, while individual grocery stores are supplied by us directly." He sells his asparagus at similar prices to last year.
More challenges than ever
The increased minimum wage would not only mean that employees would have to be paid more money in principle, but also that everyone who was already earning around 12.50 euros before would now also demand a higher salary. "For next year, the increase of the minimum wage to 14 euros per hour has already been planned. Whether one can still make a profit under these circumstances is questionable. Especially since it is also not easy to find sales people," Bahlmann points out.
Euphoric mood among asparagus producers
"When I look at my PV modules, there's at least one thing that's running smoothly. The contract for the first modules is starting to run out, but it's still rather reassuring overall to have them." Otherwise, he said, there's a lot of work ahead at his operation, not least for seedling propagation and through the gradual actual start of the asparagus season. "I get the impression that asparagus growers are in a restrained but euphoric mood."
For more information:
Bernd Bahlmann
Spargelhof Bahlmann
Peheimer Str. 39
D-49696 Molbergen
Tel.: +49 4475 385
Fax: +49 4475 1745
[email protected]
http://spargel-bahlmann.de